


It's Witchcraft

by JazzRaft



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Witchcraft, Fluff, Halloween, Halloween Costumes, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-31
Updated: 2019-10-31
Packaged: 2021-01-15 18:27:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21257675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JazzRaft/pseuds/JazzRaft
Summary: Specs' hosts a Halloween costume party for witches of all disguises. [An aside from "Secret Ingredients."]





	It's Witchcraft

**Author's Note:**

> For Day 7 of FFXV Halloween Week! Themes of Witches/Costumes/Decorating, also posted on [tumblr](https://jazzraft.tumblr.com/post/188727528277/its-witchcraft). Happy Halloween!

“You look…”

“Underdressed?”

“Adorable.”

Noctis perked up at the praise, tucking his smile beneath the wide brim of his hat. “You have to say that,” he insisted. “You’re biased.”

“Perhaps,” Ignis said. “Or I just have good taste.”

“Can’t argue with you there.”

Noctis indicated the restaurant. The place was packed for the event, costumed diners milling to and fro from banquet to bar. Ignis’s Halloween menu had attracted a huge crowd. Noctis couldn’t decide if it was the magic of the place that drew them in, or the smells – and Ignis would certainly never tell. Or maybe it was just the promise of Halloween indulgence that called all of the kooky and creepy souls out on this cool autumn night.

There were black-cloaked vampires sipping blood red wine of Noct’s own recommendation. There were hairy werewolves sipping pumpkin punch through striped paper straws fit into the maws of their mouths. There were toilet paper mommies taking black cat kids to the snack tables, pint-sized superheroes sharing hand pies in the children’s corner, and witches to serve potions and poultices at every table.

Noctis was one such witch tonight, the tip of his hat curling up to a point. He’d gone a little more casual in the costume department, donning a simple jack-o-lantern sweater whereas the rest of the staff ranged from elaborate to outlandish. Prompto had gone with green and black striped sleeves and stockings, with curly toed shoes and a bell at the tip of his hat, his face made-up like a playing card as he danced from table to table filling drinks and taking orders. Gladio had gone Gotchic with the bird-faced mask of a plague doctor as he pecked and prodded at his pizza oven.

And Ignis had gone classical, a renaissance warlock in black boots and burgundy coat, hair slicked back beneath his velvet witch hat and green eyes peering catlike from his masquerade half-mask. Noctis almost wished that he’d decided to match him tonight with something just as classy, but he’d opted for simplicity because he knew he’d be moving around a lot, pouring wine, and he didn’t want to risk staining an expensive costume.

When their neighbors from across the street came in, Noctis really regretted not dressing up in something more fetching.

“The place looks great!” Nyx called over the devilish din.

He brought Libertus in tow, the two of them dressed up like a pirate’s skeleton crew. Their faces were painted like black and white skulls beneath feathered hats and bronze-buckled trench coats. Noctis glanced at Ignis, beaming with pride as he looked around at the restaurant.

“It does, doesn’t it?”

Ignis liked to think he was a humble spell-caster, like he wasn’t trying to compete with his rival across the street, but Noctis knew he took great pride in his business, and all the care, magical and not, that went into creating its enchanting atmosphere. Black and orange banners adorned every doorway, balloons printed with pumpkin faces bunched above every countertop. He had tables of jack o’ lanterns – hand-carved by the staff – clustered in corners, on counters, and sitting like squat sentinels around the banquet table. They all flickered and glowed with what should have been candlelight within, but Noctis knew if anyone was brave enough to peer inside, they’d find that there was no flame casting said light.

“Can’t compete,” Nyx confessed, as Noctis slid him his favorite cocktail from behind the bar before he asked.

Libertus squinted at him, one-eyed behind his eye patch. He couldn’t begin to guess as to how Noct’s sense for people’s preferences could be anything but supernatural. Noctis just winked at him, successfully spooking the witch when he started mixing his favorite drink, too.

“Maybe I’ll let you try to, next year,” Ignis said to Nyx. “I’d rather like to see how Galahdians celebrate Halloween.”

“Not a whole lot different than this,” Nyx said, smiling at the haunted congregation. “Though we do like a bit more fire.”

“I think you’ll find that’s in the hand pies.”

Libertus’s interest was immediately piqued at the promise of spicy foods. Ignis presented one of the pumpkin-shaped hand pies to him, seemingly from nowhere. They were stuffed with chorizo and cheese that looked like pumpkin guts spilling from the pastry grins of the jack-o-lantern faces. And a little something extra from Iggy’s own spell book to ignite the passion for dancing in his clientele.

Libertus gave an approving hum as he sunk his teeth into the flaky pastry, downing the spicy mixture with Noct’s conjured cocktail. “Definitely wouldn’t try to beat you in a contest this year,” he said, shaking his head.

“Happy to hear it,” Ignis said. He nodded to the rest of the banquet and the music that had begun playing from some unseen source in the ceiling. “Do enjoy the party.”

“I absolutely intend to.”

Libertus tipped his glass in thanks to Noctis, then patted Nyx on the back and disappeared into the ghostly throng to sample the rest of Specs’ Halloween hors d’oeuvre. Nyx gave Ignis and Noctis a skeleton grin, a hint to the dashing rogue his pirate character had been before his undead thrall to the sea.

“Witches, huh? Not a little on the nose?”

“It’s the one night of the year where Specs can be exactly who he is,” Noctis explained. “And no one’s the wiser.”

“And you?” Nyx asked, glancing at his witch’s hat.

“I can trick you into thinking I’m magic, too,” he said, leaning his arms against the bar-top.

“You are,” Nyx insisted, raising his glass. “This cocktail is definitely proof of that.”

Ignis rolled his eyes behind his mask, the edge of his lips twitching into a smile. He’d never not think it was hilarious that Nyx was convinced Noctis was some sort of secret witch, rather than just experienced and intuitive to the desires of his customers. It was a talent he inherited from his father. Wine makers always were good at picking out the best taste for their clients.

“Do the head chef and sommelier have time to spare on a dance for this lonely pirate?” Nyx asked, looking between the two of them hopefully – and, Noctis thought, with a little spark of a temptation spell flashing in his eyes.

Ignis bit the inside of his mouth, casting his gaze back to the doors of the kitchen where he was meant to dwell. Noctis rolled his eyes and came around the bar, looping his arms around one of his to keep him from fleeing to his work.

“Someone has to take pity on this scallywag,” he said. “And what witch would let a witching hour go by without a dance?”

“He seems to know more about witchcraft than you do,” Nyx chuckled.

“He likes to think he does,” Ignis sighed. “Fine. One monster mash.”

Noctis squeezed his arm in gratitude, then extended a hand to Nyx so he could drag them both out to the mess of green limbs and foam tails and felt ears starting to shimmy to the retro ragtime beat creeping throughout the space. Their guests danced as if possessed by the music, snack and drinks at everyone’s smiling lips.

Some said witchcraft, and it was hard to deny it when he was dancing the eve away with two handsome witches himself. Whether it was witchcraft or not, Noctis just said it was a very happy Halloween.


End file.
